ROBERT RONALD COLLINS

Robert Ronald Collins, 82, of Norton, passed away Saturday, February 20, 2021, in Moses Cone Hospital, Greensboro, NC, where he had been visiting his daughter Maureen’s family.

He was born November 30, 1938 in Norton, Va. to the late Bob Collins and Wilma Roberson Collins. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Joyce Collins Redman, and his wife of 46 years, Barbara Benko Collins.

He is survived by his daughters, Christy Collins and her spouse, Keith McFadden, Maureen Collins and her spouse April Katz, two granddaughters, Lucy and Emma, brother, Stephen Collins and his spouse Jeanette, brother-in-law Ernie Benko and Lena Griffith, nephews Stuart Collins and Daniel Collins.

Ronald was a graduate of John I. Burton High School and attended the University of Virginia. After graduating from UVA, Charlottesville, where he received a mechanical engineering degree; he returned to Norton to work at his family’s business, Super Service Garage, where he made many adventurous rescue calls for stranded drivers. There is not enough room to tell about the many wrecker calls he made in his wrecker; but we are sure there are many reading these words who know a few. As children, we thought some super

hero was near when he was driving his big wrecker, hooking up cables and pulling vehicles out of scary places.

When not at the garage or on wrecker calls, he enjoyed watching NASCAR, burning brush, dancing with is wife, BB, reading the newspaper and working puzzles. He loved music and as a family we had fun singing together in the car. “Maybelline” by Chuck Berry was a favorite tune. He didn’t care for material goods; but his creature comforts of Red Man Tobacco and Budweiser beer were necessities. He and a lifelong friend “Moose” used to say they “didn’t own Busch Stadium, but they helped build it.”

He was honest and dependable and had a clever wit. We never heard him try to judge others, as his philosophy was “different strokes for different folks.” One particular thing he often said was “success has a thousand parents and failure is always an orphan.”

Ronald was a member of the Norton United Methodist Church and the Norton Lions Club. Over the last decade his health slowed him down; but he kept pushing on. After the death of his wife, BB, his most faithful companion was Mickey, their white poodle. They were seldom apart. We think Mickey hopes we all miss him as much as she does. Their relationship can remind us all to slip a little piece of food off your plate or others and or give someone a kind pat. Neither one of them had teeth, but they smiled. Please smile

when you think of him.

Arrangements for a memorial service will be shared at a later date. Hagy and Fawbush Funeral Home is providing services to the family.